Kesha's mom says Dr. Luke treated singer like 'a prisoner'

Kesha's mother says her daughter was treated "like a prisoner" by Dr. Luke, sharing with Billboardshocking new allegations of abusive and manipulative behavior that got so bad the "Tik Tok" singer once threatened to drive off a cliff.

Pebe Sebert, a successful songwriter in her own right, told Billboard that the producer constantly berated her, using the abuse as a means to keep her under his control.

"It was like someone who beats you every day and hangs you from a chain and then comes in and gives you a piece of bread," she said. "Luke would say, 'You look nice today,' and send her into ­hysterics of happiness because she was programmed to expect nothing but abuse."

Pebe Sebert said despite the abuse and alleged assault, Kesha felt she had to keep going for the sake of her music career.

"I wanted Kesha to come forward a long time ago and end this relationship with Dr. Luke immediately after the [alleged] rape," says Pebe. "But if she wanted to have a shot at the music business, she had no choice but [to work with him]."

Sebert talks about the day of Kesha's alleged rape, when she says Dr. Luke drugged her at Nicky Hilton's birthday party, then took her to a hotel. Sebert grew worried when she didn't hear from Kesha the next day, then got a frantic phone call.

"Mom, I don't know where I am," she recalls Kesha saying. "I think we had sex. I'm sore and sick. I don't know where my clothes are. I think I need to go to the hospital."

They ultimately didn't go to the hospital or the police, because Kesha did not "want to be a rape-case victim. I just want to get my music out," Sebert says.

She also shares numerous anecdotes about Dr. Luke's alleged controlling behavior, including one where he thwarted a potential new record deal with Warner Bros.

"Kesha would tell me she was going to take her car to Mulholland and drive off the cliff,"

"Kesha would tell me she was going to take her car to Mulholland and drive off the cliff," Sebert says. "She was a little dramatic, but I never knew for sure."

Dr. Luke would also allegedly verbally abuse Kesha, telling her things like, "Katy Perry is so much better than you," or criticizing her weight.

Sebert also opens up about the support her daughter has received from various stars, like Adele, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. Taylor Swift also wrote a $250,000 check.

"Kesha was like, 'Are you sure it's not some scammer?' And then she said, 'I would be honored if she wants to do that,'" Sebert says.

Swift and Kesha later spoke to each other, Sebert says.

Legal representatives for Dr. Luke responded to Mashable's request for comment by sending the same lengthy statement they sent Billboard, though they clarify it is not a "response" to the story or its specific allegations.

That statement, in its entirety:

As Dr. Luke has said repeatedly, the allegations Kesha and her counsel have made against him are outright lies as evidenced by the unambiguous sworn testimony Kesha and her mother provided in 2011 in the presence of their lawyers from a top national firm and Kesha's managers. At her deposition, Kesha clearly and truthfully testified under oath that Dr. Luke had never given her a 'roofie' (i.e., a "date rape drug"), that she never had an 'intimate relationship with Gottwald,' and that "Dr. Luke never made sexual advances at me." Any claim of duress in connection with that testimony is simply absurd.

Kesha and Luke had an extremely successful business relationship. Years after the falsely alleged rape is claimed to have occurred, Kesha voluntarily negotiated a publishing agreement, and two amendments to her recording agreement, with Luke at arm’s length thorough their respective attorneys. Kesha’s gratitude toward Luke was expressed in private correspondence when she wrote, “Thank you 4 helping me make my WILDEST dreams come true.”

In addition, at the behest of Kesha’s mother Pebe, Luke did numerous favors to advance the careers of Kesha’s siblings as well as Pebe herself. Indeed, Pebe acknowledged Luke’s generosity and expressed her warmth toward him in private correspondence when she wrote “You are part of our family, and I hope you know, as much as you have been there for Kesha and me, that we will always be there for you, as family, and friends, if you need anything,” “You have changed our lives forever” and “I know you are going to be a great dad.” No mother would make such statements about someone who had raped her daughter—the purported rape never happened. Once Kesha and her mother became disenchanted with her financial and creative business terms and wanted yet another new deal, the extortion began, with Kesha’s mother claiming that she would make public allegations of sexual assault against Luke unless he "releases Kesha from all legal contracts, and gives me back all my publishing.”

When those efforts failed Kesha’s attorney, seeking to hide behind the litigation privilege to make horrific claims without any proof or accountability, filed a lawsuit and embarked on a public and calculated smear campaign against Luke — all to press for a more lucrative contract for his client.

Kesha’s court filings are and have always been a transparent business ploy to pressure Luke into a more favorable and lucrative contract. That is evident because neither Kesha nor her mother have ever sworn under oath that any of the assault allegations have occurred, despite having numerous opportunities to do so. In fact, they swore the opposite in 2011. Instead, Kesha’s lawyer serves as the mouthpiece to smear Luke.

Tellingly, the Court after reading stacks of paper noted multiple times that Kesha’s abuse

allegations are vague, lack factual detail and are devoid of any evidence from doctors or anyone else. In addition, recent news media reports have confirmed that the Los Angeles Police Department has no record of Kesha ever reporting any abuse. Further, despite

misrepresentations by Kesha’s lawyer, the Court also noted that Kesha is free to record today in a studio with another producer without ever having contact with Luke. Any pretense that she is not “free” is a manipulation of the public’s sympathy based on false facts.

For his part, Luke will litigate these accusations in court, not through a publicity campaign as Kesha’s counsel has done. The vicious smear campaign to extort Luke and damage him and his family is inexcusable.

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